Cressida Cowell

Cressida Cowell
Born 15 April 1966
London, United Kingdom
Residence London, United Kingdom
Nationality English
Alma mater University of Oxford
Occupation Writer
Notable work How to Train Your Dragon
Signature
Website
http://www.cressidacowell.co.uk/

Cressida Cowell (born 15 April 1966)[1] is an English children's author, popularly known for the novel series, How to Train Your Dragon, which has subsequently become an award-winning film[2] as adapted for the screen by DreamWorks Animation. In addition to her other publications, Cowell works with illustrator Neal Layton[3] in the on-going series of Emily Brown stories. The first in the series, That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown, won a Nestlé Children’s Book Award.

Personal life

Cressida Cowell was born on 15 April 1966 in London. She is the daughter of Michael Hare, 2nd Viscount Blakenham. Her uncle, by marriage, is U.S Supreme Court justice Stephen Breyer.

As a child, Cowell states she "grew up in London and on a small, uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland,"[4] and that it was during summers spent on the Inner Hebrides[5] where she first began to develop her writing and drawing talents:

"I spent a great deal of time as a child on a tiny, uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland...By the time I was eight, my family had built a small stone house on the island, and with the boat, we could fish for enough food to feed the family for the whole summer.

"From then on, every year we spent four weeks of the summer and two weeks of the spring on the island. The house was lit by candle-light, and there was no telephone or television, so I spent a lot of time drawing and writing stories."[6]

Cowell attended Keble College, Oxford where she studied English, and she also attended Saint Martin's School of Art and Brighton University where she learned illustration.

Cressida Cowell presently resides in London[7] with her husband Simon, a former director and interim CEO of the International Save the Children Alliance; daughters Maisie and Clementine; and son Alexander.[8]

List of works

How to Train Your Dragon books

Emily Brown books

Other books

Awards

References

  1. ↑ "F.A.Q.s - Cressida Cowell – Quick Facts". Cressidda Cowell - Official Website. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  2. ↑ How to Train Your Dragon (film)#Accolades
  3. ↑ http://www.neallayton.co.uk/
  4. ↑ http://www.worldbookday.com/bookauthor/cressida-cowell/
  5. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8592461.stm BBC News, 30 March 2010 "Secret Scottish isle inspired dragon tales"
  6. ↑ http://www.cressidacowell.co.uk/q-and-a.asp
  7. ↑ DavidHigham.Co.UK (dead link) Archive.org link
  8. ↑ Official website – About me
  9. ↑ Chilton, Martin (8 October 2012). "How to Seize a Dragon's Jewel, by Cressida Cowell: review". Telegraph. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  10. ↑ http://www.booktrust.org.uk/prizes-and-awards/13/2006

External links